1 in 3 Seniors Fall Every Year. Let's Keep You Safe!

Falls are a big deal.

They can cause injuries and make it hard to live on your own. They can also make you afraid of falling again. This fear might make you less active, making you weaker and more likely to fall. It's a tough cycle to break.

Falls aren't a normal part of aging. Physical therapy can reduce your risk and help you stay independent. Here are five ways your PT can help.

Creating a personalized exercise plan

Being active helps prevent falls. Your PT will create an exercise plan based on your needs and interests. This should be fun! Consider going on walks, dancing, aquatic exercise, or practicing yoga.

Your PT can also take you through a series of test to determine what is causing your falls. Is it your vestibular system, eye sight, or nervous system/muscles? Or is a combination of multiple things? Your physical therapist will be able to learn more about you to make your exercise plan specific to you. To learn more about the different systems you can read this blog post!

Making Your Home Safer

Many falls happen at home. Simple changes like removing tripping hazards and using night lights can make a significant difference. Your physical therapist can help you with these and recommend other modifications to make your home safer.

Strength and Balance Exercises

Strong muscles and good balance are vital to preventing falls. Your PT will show you specific exercises that help with both.

Addressing underlying health issues

Falls are often the result of multiple factors. Your PT can work with your other doctors to address things like vision problems, heart issues, incontinence, or diabetes that might make you more likely to fall. Different medications as well as the amount of medications you are taking will also impact your balance. Your physical therapist may encourage you to talk with your doctor about your medication list and if that is leading to your fall risk.

Help you find community programs

Staying active is easier and more fun with others. Your PT can help you find group exercise classes or other programs in your area that will help you stay strong and independent.

Take the first step.

If you're worried about falling or have already had a fall, don't wait to get help. Talk to your physical therapist.

Falling isn't a normal part of getting older. With the right help, you can stay strong, maintain your balance, and keep doing the things you love. Physical therapy is a great way to ensure that you stay on your feet and remain active and independent.

Take that first step towards better balance and a more active life. Your future self will thank you!  If you are local in Virginia to the Falls Church, Arlington, or Annandale region, give us a call to set up your appointment!

References

1. Exercise for falls and fracture prevention in long term care facilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(9):685-689.e2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23860265/

2.  Preventing Falls in Older Persons. Am Fam Physician. 2017 Aug 15;96(4):240-247. PMID: 28925664. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28925664/

3. The Effectiveness of Physical Therapist–Administered Group-Based Exercise on Fall Prevention: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy 36(4):p 182-193, October/December 2013. https://journals.lww.com/jgpt/fulltext/2013/10000/the_effectiveness_of_physical.5.aspx?casa_token=r5fLfvxztA0AAAAA:9yaeibFmZiCeIZiQcSOVcbWkWpA_8spTG-bNT2UFa-D2Dc7tljHsv3VW5XfmnvIySLNwrJDd7aqnJTsfdHmRqK8

4. Exergame technology and interactive interventions for elderly fall prevention: A systematic literature review https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003687016302265

5. Reducing the Risk of Falling and Injuries From Falls: Research on the Value of Physical Therapy apta-handout-falls-research.pdf

6. Physical Therapy Guide to Falls https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-falls

7. Fall Prevention Starts with a Conversation https://www.ncoa.org/article/falls-prevention-conversation-guide-for-caregivers

8. Balance and Falls https://www.apta.org/patient-care/public-health-population-care/balance-and-falls

About The Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

Founded in 1956, the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association champions the success of physical therapist-owned businesses. Our members are leaders and innovators in the healthcare system. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) represents more than 85,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and students of physical therapy nationwide. For more information, please visit www.ppsapta.org.

Author

Alana Hamilton Alana Hamilton is a physical therapist at Advantage Physical Therapy in Falls Church, Virginia. She is a proud Hokie from Virginia Tech with a major in Biology and a minor in psychology and sociology. Following graduation, she immediately got her doctorate in Physical Therapy from Radford University. She is an avid fan of Pilates, running, and hiking. On the weekends, she can be found hanging out with her family and baby as well as doing Spartan races with her old physical therapy classmates and friends. She is a big believer that during rehabilitation, "Motion is the Lotion" and that staying active is key to remaining healthy.